Analysis of Michigan's policies

State support for teacher leadership: Teachers in Michigan have the option to apply for the Advanced Professional Education Certificate, which is valid for five years.

Selection criteria: Michigan requires eligible teachers to hold the Professional Education Certificate; have received highly effective evaluation ratings for three of the last five years; have not been rated ineffective within the last five years; and have completed either the state's leader program or be National Board certified.

Incentives and supports: Michigan districts determine if and how they will reward or incentivize this certificate.

Recommendations for Michigan

Offer incentives or supports to teachers who assume leadership roles. Michigan should offer—or encourage districts to offer—either financial incentives or nonmonetary supports to assist teacher leaders. To allow effective teacher leaders to remain in the classroom, Michigan should ensure that principals provide time and space for the tasks of both teacher of record and teacher leadership roles, which may be accomplished, for example, through a reduction of class loads.

Retaining Effective Teachers

Early Childhood Preparation

How we graded

9C: Leadership Opportunities

Policy or Initiative: The state should support, through a specific policy or initiative, opportunities for teachers to assume leadership roles and/or advanced career positions that allow them to continue teaching.

Strategic Selection: The state should require that teachers are strategically selected for leadership roles based on specific criteria, including content knowledge and classroom effectiveness.

Incentives or Supports: The state should offer, or encourage districts to offer, financial incentives or nonmonetary supports (e.g., reduced class loads) for teachers who assume leadership roles.

Policy or InitiativeOne-half of the total goal score is earned based on the following:

One-half credit: The state will earn one-half of a point if there is a specific policy or initiative for teachers to assume leadership roles or advanced career positions that allow them to continue teaching in the classroom for at least some of their work time.

One-quarter credit: The state will earn one-quarter of a point if it supports teachers in assuming leadership roles or advanced career positions but does not do so in a manner that is explicit and widely available (e.g., pilot programs).

Strategic SelectionOne-quarter of the total goal score is earned based on the following:

One-quarter credit: The state will earn one-quarter of a point if it requires teachers to be strategically selected for leadership roles based on specific criteria, including content knowledge and effectiveness.

Incentives or SupportsOne-quarter of the total goal score is earned based on the following:

One-quarter credit: The state will earn one quarter of a point if it offers or encourages financial incentives or nonmonetary supports for teachers who assume leadership roles.

Research rationale

Research from the past four decades widely supports leadership roles for teachers.[1] Teachers aspire to engage in leadership and professional growth opportunities,[2] and desire more participation in decisions about instruction.[3] Research suggests teacher leaders should be involved in policy and decision-making at some level.[4]

Research has not found a relationship between teacher leadership and student achievement;[5] however, the presence of teacher leadership opportunities in schools has benefits for individual teacher leaders, as well as the school-wide teacher community. Teacher leaders feel more confident, empowered, and professionally satisfied;[6] they also feel that leadership roles allowed them to grow professionally.[7] Teachers in schools with teacher leadership opportunities report that such opportunities contribute to greater teacher empowerment, professional community, and collective responsibility.[8] For their school community, teachers in leadership roles have the capacity to increase teacher collaboration, spread best practices, encourage teacher professional learning, and focus on content-specific issues.[9] Teacher leaders support professional learning communities by conducting formal professional development or assisting other teachers in classrooms.[10] By concurrently serving as teachers, teacher leaders are likely to be more effective in both roles.[11]

Teacher leaders selected for these roles should bring substantial teaching experience and knowledge of the curriculum,[12] as well as effective instruction.[13] Insofar as strong teacher leadership systems should ensure that teacher leaders also remain in the classroom as teachers, principals should provide time and space for the tasks of both teacher of record and teacher leadership roles, such as reducing class loads.